roofers

[SKay]

As some of you know, I live in the hurricane state and went through Hurricane Ivan last year. We lost some clay tiles from our roof, but did not receive major damage. That was 10 months ago, and we have called several companies to come give us an estimate. I guess since our damage isn't bad, no one wants to bother with us. (Besides some companies don't repair this type of roof.) Anyway, we did get one person to give us an estimate. Then he told us he changed companies but that the estimate still was good. I don't know much about construction, but that didn't seem right to me. Anyway, later he told us that he switched back to the 1st company. He had ordered the tiles a few weeks ago, and I think he told DH that they were in. Well, when DH tried to call him a few minutes ago, his cell phone was no longer in service. One other caution I had in this was that we never talked to anyone at the company he supposedly worked for--only him. DH called the company today. They said the guy has been "let go." He has given their company a bad name for not following through. When a contract is signed the employee is supposed notify the company and they will enter our information in their computer. The man on the phone couldn't find our name in their system. So we are back to square one. We really need to get this fixed. Most storms are not a problem, but when we had Hurricane Dennis a couple of weeks ago, our ceiling leaked in 3 places. The company is sending a person out to give us an estimate, which is more than we've gotten from others. I hope that since they know our situation they will bend over backwards to make things right, regain our trust, and get our business. Fortunately we lost no money in this. We hear constantly that we need to be careful and check out people's credentials (license numbers, etc.) because there are lots of crooks out there. I guess we found another one.

Thanks for letting me share.

[Blue Oreo]

MAKE SURE THEY ARE LICENSED, INSURED AND BONDED.. . most insurance and mortgage companies REQUIRE this to maintain your mortgage with them. I know mine does, I cant get any JOE off the street for repairs. Good luck, I know about roofers, I just had some here repairing damages from "glaciering" on my roof when I was down in the safehouse for 6 months. Thank God not much damage inside was done, but I did shell out $6k for repairs and new sheeting and flashing plates on the chimney stack.

[SKay]

Thanks. I knew someone here would know something about this. I feel better dealing directly with the company rather some individual. I hope that guy doesn't come back to us, though, and expect to do the repairs.

[Linda]

My son is a roofer and what happened with the first guy was he was trying to get a side job and not have the company know about it. That is a big no no with any company.

[SKay]

Linda, I think you're right. He told us he would do the work himself. Apparently he has done that to other people too.

DH said that the company's name was on the contract. Does that mean it is no longer binding since he's not working with that company? I'm concerned that this guy may come back to us, wanting to do the work, and of course we don't want him to do it.

Our insurance adjuster said he doesn't think we need a new roof. How do we know he's not saying that just because the company doesn't want to pay for it? I've got so many questions and don't know who to talk to around here that I can trust.

PS What does BONDED mean?

[Linda]

I am thinking the guy got fired so that part of it is NOT binding.If the guy ever comes back to you tell him you know he was fired and if you have to call your Business Bureau.

If your adjuster doesn't think you need a new roof what is he willing to do for you? If your roof is leaking the company HAS to do something!!!

oops...sorry:

Bonded is the guarantee of the work performance/completion

[SKay]

DH said he will include drywall, insulation, etc. in the cost so I don't know if that means patches or what. I'm so confused.

[finnmom]

I hope you will soon find some one reliable to do the job, and your insurance company to pay for it Good luck!!

[mothercat]

I have a brother in law that is a roofer..he goes from state to state..as for a liscense..shoot he doesn't even have a social security number. ( Lisa's parents ) They have been going to Florida alot lately. He invents a company (or his wife becomes one) and they always leave the motels during the night without paying. (or they live in their truck). They have been living this way for atleast 28 years and are VERY good at the scam. He could charm snakes with his down home attitude..need I say more. Always ask for credentials and check the references. Alot of insurance companies have lists of reputable roofing contractors just for the asking.

[SKay]

Well, we got nowhere with the company that guy used to work for, but we found somewhere that we can get the tiles ourselves, and got 2 recommendations for people who can replace them for us. This should save us a significant amount of money--if it really works out.

[Linda]

Places like Home Depot and Lowes usually have someone to do that type of work for you...Good Luck.

[george2]

SKay,
I was an industrial Technology teacher for twenty years. I have watched shows on television that told about tile application. I'm assuming you have ceramic tiles on your roof. One thing they always said on the shows is that you can order the tiles from Mexico where they are made and get a real good price and many selections. The "Free Trade Agreement" was designed to open this kind of trade between the US and Mexico. Most of the things like this can be found on the Internet directly or through American dealers who work directly. The materials come to your front door on a regular mail, Fedex or UPS delivery. I am finishing a house that I built totally by myself. I did the dirt work with a bulldozer and a backhoe, poured my own concrete, framed, sided, roofed, wired, plumed, insulated, sheetrocked and all of the decorating to the finishing touches. I hope to sell this one in a week or two. It has two thousand square feet inside with a six hundred sq. ft. concrete front porch under the main roof. I designed and drew up the whole house. It has free standing trusses so the inside of the house doesn't have to have any support walls. There is a room in the middle of the house that is twenty feet wide and forty feet long. I like the open feeling.
I am working on a remodel job for my sister right now. The outside of the add on was one hundred thousand dollars through a contractor. I am doing the inside to help her. The man who contracted the exterior had Mexican workers that didn't speak English doing the work. The forman could speak English. They did a good job and worked hard and got through at a very good pace. Ceramic tiles are a Mexican style. The workers from Mexico probably would have the best experience for this kind of work. If you check around, you probably could find one of these groups of workers and make your own deal with the forman to get about half the cost of the normal application. I would start with a tile company in town. They would know about the Mexican tile companies and maybe some of the groups of Mexican roofers in you area. Nothing like getting a great job done fast at half price. My sister's contractor had been using the workers he had for thirty years.
I was talking to an insurance investigator once when I was traveling. He said he had been sent to investigat way to improve housing construction to make houses more able to withstand the effects of a hurricane. I gave him an idea that I saw being used on a job that was for the purpose of strengthening houses for hurricanes on a television show later on a television show. I told him if people would dig plug holes in the ground under the house where the walls and the strengthe points on the roof are, they could pour concrete in the holes with rebar turned sideways with a steel cable tied to the rebar. The cable could be run through a hole in the wood on the walls and attached to the frame of the roof with a turnbuckle to adjust the tension applied to the roof being held down to the house. While your roof is off this could be done with drill bits and the supplies needed more easily. The insurance agency might pay for it even. Just an idea. My specialty in college was problem solving and creating fixtures and jigs that made things work that wouldn't work right.
I will help you with any questions you might have with the rest of your work. Just ask.
I'm putting in the heating and air conditioning in this house myself. That is a first for me. That is what is the most fun though. It makes it like an adventure. It just seems very simple for what contractors charge.

[SKay]

Thanks for your advice.

We just got a call that the guy has to order the tiles and it will take 4-6 weeks to get them. I pretty much expected this.